WHY THERE REALLY IS A GOD

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The book, Why There Really Is A God – And What You Need To Know About Him, is a well-written and thoughtfully organized exploration of the arguments for and against the existence of God. It has a balanced approach, with common counterarguments, scientific challenges, and philosophical objections also fairly represented and discussed. Its accessible style makes it a valuable resource for anyone interested in this fundamental question. For those already familiar with apologetics, the book may serve as a useful synthesis of various arguments presented in a coherent and accessible manner.

For skeptics, the book offers a direct engagement with the questions and objections they might raise, providing the author’s reasoned responses. It is a book that encourages critical thinking, inviting readers to engage with the evidence and draw their own conclusions. Whether you are a creationist, an atheist, or somewhere in between, this book can offer you a thorough review of one of the most important debates in human history without appearing one-sided.

Why There Really is a God is a valuable resource for a variety of readers. It serves as a useful reference for creationists seeking to strengthen their own position, providing a well-organized and comprehensive overview of foundational evidence. It is also an excellent introduction for those who are undecided or unsure about their beliefs, offering balanced and fair-minded reasoning. Even confirmed atheists will find the book thought-provoking, as it presents the arguments for God’s existence in a clear and compelling manner.

The text aligns with its stated aim of engaging “someone who is openminded enough to engage with the best arguments for (and against) God, and fair-minded enough to change their view if the evidence points in that direction” (p. 6). Wilson successfully creates a space for genuine inquiry, encouraging readers to think critically about the evidence and come to their own conclusions.

PRAYER: WHAT IT DOES AND DOES NOT DO

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Prayer does not promise to free us from trouble. Indeed, God promises us the opposite. Trials will come. Such is this world. Rather, we pray to align our hearts and minds with God’s will.

We pray that we would accept God’s ordering of things, not our own, because it is HIS Kingdom.

We pray that we will be made strong and made better in difficulty, like gold purified in fire.

We pray that we would do those things which advance God’s purposes, to shine His testimony brightest in the darkness.

We pray for those things which we believe are in God’s will — but with the same caveat Jesus used — “not my will, but Yours be done.”

We pray with our eyes on the new heaven and new earth, where all these troubles will be solved, the dead will be reunited, and every tear will be wiped away.

God-Given Strength

The mockers will say, “See! Prayer did not help!” Not so.

It is only by faith that the tragedies of this fallen world become instruments of advancing a greater purpose.

The one who has no faith is defeated because they have no hope beyond living a trouble-free life, which happens to nobody.

But to the one who has faith, the troubles of this world are like gym equipment to a gymnast. They strengthen us. They bring us close to God. They help us to understand things with an ultimate and eternal perspective.

And it is those people, made fit by the fallenness of their world, who are strong to advance works for God; who walk in His ways; and who will rejoice the greatest when God greets them and all the troubles that made them are now resolved.

To put it bluntly, they are not the killers. They are the finest of people.

No point railing against the pray-ers in trouble. You will be better served to understand their method.

Then you can live with hope and meaning, too, no matter what this fallen world throws up.

Republished with minor changes, thanks to Martyn Iles. 

FATHERHOOD, FAMILY, AND GOD

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With a powerful win and an even stronger message, Scottie Scheffler and Nike have spotlighted fatherhood as the true measure of greatness in a culture that often overlooks it.

Fatherhood and family — which are often portrayed negatively in popular culture — received a rare moment of glory recently, thanks to Nike’s heartwarming ad celebrating pro golfer Scottie Scheffler’s win at The Open Championship in Northern Ireland.

Posted on X, the ad featured two photos of Scheffler. The first showed the world’s top-ranked golfer playing with his one-year-old son Bennett on the green, with the caption, “You’ve already won.” The second image captured Scheffler mid-swing, paired with the words, “But another major never hurt.”

It would have been great to have God, the creator of families get a mention from Scottie Scheffler as we know he is openly Christian and speaks frequently about his faith. He identifies as a Christian and has stated that his faith is what defines him most, even above his golf career. He actively connects his faith to his golf, stating that he competes to glorify God and that his identity is in Christ, not in his achievements on the golf course, according to Christians in Sport. 

TRUMP ALLY WINS IN POLAND, SHOCKING ALL OF EUROPE

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God is moving in Europe, and the latest move is in Poland. In 2022, it was in Hungary and Italy.

POLAND: Meet Poland’s new president, Karol Nawrocki, who is pro-life, pro-Trump, pro-Poland, and unashamedly pro-Christian. Nawrocki’s shock win was unexpected.

Commiserating the loss, the left-wing news organisation said Nawrocki’s win was a “significant blow to Tusk’s fragile government.” Poland’s new president is now head of the opposition. Even though the role is ceremonial, Nawrocki has the power to veto legislation, and veto he will. For context, Tusk is an ally of the previous President, anti-Christian Rafał Trzaskowski. Both favour de-Christianising Poland, prefer the European Union over Polish sovereignty, and are ideologically aligned with Marxian globalist ideology, such as LGBTQ+ism, climate catastrophism and abortion.

For AP News, the win was more about Donald Trump than Donald Tusk. Trump supported Nawrocki’s candidacy. While not outrightly suggesting Trump had interfered in the Polish election, AP did make a point of noting that Nawrocki “was at the White House last month.”

HUNGARY: In 2022, Katalin Novak, a pro-life, pro-family mother of three, became Hungary’s first female president.

In October 2021, Novak shared Hungary’s “pro-family mindset” with reporters from the United States as she described how the country established a new constitution in 2011 — replacing a former communist constitution recognizing Hungary as a “People’s Republic.” The 2011 Hungarian Constitution protects “the institution of marriage as the union of a man and a woman,” supports family systems and caring for the elderly, and recognizes life from conception.

ITALY: In 2022, Giorgia Meloni makes no secret that she is eager to go down in history as Italy’s first female prime minister under the slogan “Dio, patria, famiglia” (God, fatherland, family).

As a politician, she is a skilled debater. In addition to her undeniable charisma, she possesses a comprehensive dossier and language skills. The latter came in handy during the recent campaign when she addressed critical foreign media directly in English, French and Spanish.

She claimed her opposition attacked national identity, religious identity, gender, identity and family identity. I can’t define myself as Italian, Christian, woman, mother. Now I must be citizen X, gender X, parent one, parent two. I must be a number because when I’m only a number, when I no longer have an identity or roots, then I will be the perfect slave at the mercy of financial speculators. We will defend the value of the human being -every single human being.”

She says of herself, “I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am Italian, I am Christian. You can’t take this away from me!”

GOD WILL GIVE YOU A FUTURE AND A HOPE

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“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.” John 3:16-17

Step 1. You need to repent of your sin of rebellion against God and His commandments, accepting Jesus as your Saviour and Lord, acknowledging the enormity of His sacrifice on the cross.

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.” John 3:5

Step 2. You need to be baptised (evidence you have died to self and arisen a new person in Christ) and receive the Holy Spirit as your counsellor, teacher, helper and comforter; otherwise, you cannot live the Christian life.

“‘For I know the plans I have for you’, says the Lord. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’”  Jeremiah 29:11

Step 3. Know that God has a plan for your life, but you must allow the Holy Spirit to guide your every step. Do not grieve Him or quench His work in your life.

“And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.” Ephesians 4:30

GOD IS LOOSENING SATAN’S HOLD ON THE U.S.A.

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In November, Trump was elected President of the USA largely on the basis of putting God back in His rightful place (In God We Trust). In December, The Wall Street Journal reported that Bible sales were up 22% while sales of other books were essentially flat. In fact, in 2019, 9.7 million copies of the Bible were sold in America. Last year, that number approached 14 million, with most sales driven by “first-time buyers.”

Then there is football, with Ohio State players preaching to students last summer and on national television after winning the national championship, Boise State head coach Spencer Danielson praising Jesus at the Fiesta Bowl, and Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh leading his team in the Lord’s Prayer, God-talk on and off the field has been conspicuous this season. 

Or consider the “moment” God is having among secular thought leaders. Richard Dawkins and Elon Musk, recognizing the importance of Christianity to the West, have labeled themselves “cultural Christians.” Former New Atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali experienced and defended a conversion to the Christian faith, as did her husband, well-known historian and Hoover Institute fellow Niall Ferguson. Former atheist and popular historian Tom Holland’s bestselling book has changed the narrative about the positive role Christianity has played in making the Western world. Psychologist and author Jordan Peterson often references Scripture and just released a 500-page book attempting to draw lessons and meaning from the Old Testament. And, of course, podcaster Joe Rogan recently interviewed Christian apologist Wesley Huff for his 14 million subscribers. 

Justin Brierley, co-host of the “Unbelievable” podcast and author of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, thinks we are seeing something significant: 

[T]hey say God moves in mysterious ways. I see signs that he is moving in the minds and hearts of secular intellectuals. Many of them are recognizing that secular humanism has failed and, against all their expectations, seem to be on the verge of embracing faith instead. 

Brierley thinks this “wider turning of the secular tide in the West,” is a result of secularism’s failed predictions. A couple of decades ago, the New Atheists promised a rational utopia in the wake of religious decline. Instead, we got a crisis of meaning, widespread “confusion, a mental health crisis in the young, and the culture wars.” Now, a “New Theist” movement has sprung up, and even those not converting to Christ have toned down the anti-Christian rhetoric. Some are even suggesting that faith is good for the world.  

Still, Brierley cautions that what we’re seeing is far from a revival. Many of the “cultural Christians” of our moment are not believers, nor are they claiming to be. There’s a big difference between regarding Christianity as a “useful fiction,” able to restore vigor and cohesion to the West, and submitting to it as the ultimate truth that demands our allegiance and devotion. For the millions of new Bible owners, the difference is between looking for sage advice and looking for God. Neither a better world nor a better you is what Christianity fundamentally offers.  

Though a “vibe shift” in favor of religion is welcome, and cultural Christianity is genuinely a good thing, Christ does not claim to be “useful.” He claims to be the risen Son of God and King of kings, before whom every knee must bow. Those hoping to make Him “useful” overlook that the West did not become a great civilization because people believed Christianity offered good advice, but because they believed it was true. Anyone who tries to use the God of the Bible to some earthly end will only be repeating the blunder of Mainline Protestantism, not doing something genuinely new or important. 

At the same time, the truth about Christ is compelling. Thus, the renewed interest in this cultural moment can be welcomed and celebrated. Secularism has failed to satisfy the human soul or build the utopia that was promised. But Christ will not fail, not in this world nor in the age to come. Our task is to point insistently to the full and glorious truth of His rule and reign.  

We can direct the curious to resources like The Bible Project, or Graeme Goldsworthy’s classic book, According to Plan, both of which explain what the Bible is and what it teaches. Proven apologetic classics like C.S. Lewis’ Mere Christianity are incredibly helpful resources for those willing to give God a new look. Most importantly, the Church must be the Church, with the Word faithfully taught and lived. After all, we know that God’s Word will not return void, and He is at work through His people in this and every cultural moment.

I LOVE JORDAN PETERSON: GOD IS USING HIM MIGHTILY

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There are very few people walking the earth today who can claim to have engaged the minds of millions in the way that Jordan Peterson has, and his influence isn’t based on political power or obscene wealth, but his diamond-cut intellect. Having garnered notoriety from his decidedly anti-mainstream takes on news and culture, Peterson has been tempered by the fires of public opinion and left stronger than ever. That isn’t to say however that the man is made from stone, and when the conversation turns to his father, and by extension fatherhood, Peterson has no shame in letting the tears flow. Together, he and Piers Morgan conjure up a meaty dialogue on Trump, America, family, and God as they discuss Jordan Peterson’s latest book We Who Wrestle with God: Perceptions of the Divine. ENJOY

PARADIGMS OF ORIGINS

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The design of the DNA of a simple cell is much more complex than we see in the development of the latest supercomputers. How do we explain that simple fact with the evolution paradigm? It is impossible. The Genesis paradigm is the only one that can explain the evidence.

Philosopher of Science, Paul Nelson compares the way a supercomputer works, compared to a bacterial cell, and then explores the countless things any paradigm of origins must necessarily explain. After Dr. Paul Nelson received his BA in philosophy with a minor in evolutionary biology from the University of Pittsburgh, he entered the University of Chicago, where he received his PhD (1998) in the philosophy of biology and evolutionary theory. He is a philosopher of biology who has been involved in the intelligent design debate internationally for over two decades.

TRUE PEACE IS KNOWING THE GOD WHO IS IN CONTROL

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True peace must be rooted in something lasting. Only our omnipotent, omniscient, omnipresent, God will do. Combining these in order, the words translate to “all-powerful, all-knowing, and “all-present” or “present everywhere”

The peace of God is found in the decisive victory of a monumental conflict. The alienation of humanity from God by the product of our willful rebellion against His authority put us clearly on the wrong side of an unequal equation. We became God’s enemies, and any peace we could offer fell solidly into the counterfeit category. As Paul wrote to the Ephesians, we were without hope and God in His world. But by the blood of Jesus Christ, God preemptively made the offer of peace to his hopeless enemy:

“But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ. For He himself is our peace, who has made us both one and has broken down in his flesh the dividing wall of hostility by abolishing the law of commandments expressed in ordinances, that he might create in himself one new man in place of the two, so making peace, and might reconcile us both to God in one body through the cross, thereby killing the hostility. And he came and preached peace to you who were far off and peace to those who were near” Ephesians 2:13–17

We can be at peace only when we are reconciled to God through Christ. In Him, our anxieties are alleviated, and our hostility is put to death. Nothing can disrupt that kind of peace. Wars and rumors of wars will still rage, but the person who walks by the Spirit will walk amid the storm to a voice that cries, “Peace! Be Still!”

God has given us detailed information on the fast-approaching end of this era for Earth. It is a time of intense tribulation for Christians so only those in Christ will have peace and be able to be used by God to proclaim the gospel of the kingdom to all the world.

“And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not alarmed, for this must take place, but the end is not yet. For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and there will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are but the beginning of the birth pains.
“Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake. And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. And this gospel of the kingdom will be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.” Matthew 24:6-14

You need to be Living Eternal Now – Ready for Jesus Return. Available as an ebook or paperback on Amazon.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A SOMEONE NOT A SOMETHING.

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This post follows my previous post “Is God a Trinity“. If you have not read it but are interested in looking at the arguments for and against God is a Trinity then I suggest you do so before you read this testimony of Dr Walter Wilson.

The testimony of Dr Walter Wilson is powerful. Converted on December 21st, 1896, Walter had a deep love for the scriptures yet it bothered him that his life did not seem to bear spiritual fruit. In 1913 he was challenged by a missionary with the question, “What is the Holy Spirit to you?”

Wilson answered, “He is one of the persons of the Godhead, a Teacher, a Guide; the third person of the Trinity.

The missionary responded with: “He is just as great, just as precious, just as needed as the other two persons of the Trinity. But you still have not answered my question, What is He to you?”

“He is nothing to me”, Wilson said, surprised at his own candour. “I have no contact with Him, no personal relationship, and get along quite well without Him,” Wilson replied.

“It is because of this that your life is so fruitless even though your efforts are so great“. The missionary’s words taunted Wilson into the next year. He wanted to bear the fruit of the Spirit but feared becoming a fanatic, giving an inferior place to Jesus Christ. On January 14th, 1914 everything changed when Wilson heard a sermon preached by Dr James Gray (he became President of Moody Bible Institute) on Romans 12:1

SERMON BY DR JAMES GRAY
“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.” Romans 12:1

Notice this verse does not tell us to whom we should give our bodies? It is not the Lord Jesus…..He has his own body. It is not God the Father….He remains upon His throne. Another has come to earth without a body….God gives you the privilege and indescribable honour of presenting your bodies to the Holy Spirit, to be His dwelling place on earth. 

After hearing this sermon Walter Wilson prayed the following prayer:

“My Lord, I have mistreated You (HOLY SPIRIT) all my Christian life. I have treated you like a servant….I shall do so NO more. Now I give you this body of mine ; from my head to my feet……………., I hand it over to YOU for YOU to live in it the life that YOU please.”

Walter Wilson, the beloved physician often testified, “Concerning my own experience with the Holy Spirit, I must say the transformation of my life on Jan 14th, 1914 was greater, much greater than the change that took place when I was saved Dec 21st 1896.

Make sure you do not treat the Holy Spirit as a “something”. He is a “someone”.